Jackie Leven – Nicht ganz richtig

Interview on “Lovers at the Gun Club” (2008). Maurer reports that Leven chose the pseudonym Sir Vincent Lone after being annoyed that Will Oldham, and not he, had come up with “Bonnie Prince”; the new album was recorded without the record company's knowledge, which Leven plays down. Difference between Leven and Lone: Jackie is more dogged because he has to live from it, Sir Vince has more fun (self-report). Johnny Dowd sings the title song; the two met when both happened to be performing in Kufstein. The title story: a drive through the Shenandoah Valley with the “transsexual killer” Shannon Doyle, children giving the Hitler salute, followed by shooting practice at the shooting club (self-report, evidently invented or exaggerated). Leven wants songs to sound “not quite right”, as with David Lynch or Tarantino; he considers “Innocent Railway” one of his best songs. He chooses poetry out of love, not to convert people. Closing anecdote: “Olivier's Blues” came about with Sir Laurence Olivier, whose son Rich Olivier is a close friend (Leven is godfather to his son); Olivier called him a “jolly green giant” (self-report). Outlook: autumn tour with Cosgrave.